Oroville recreation and park district agrees to rent space at Municipal Auditorium

OROVILLE &GT;&GT; After months of discussions between the general manager of Feather River Recreation and Park District and city officials, the FRRPD board agreed Tuesday night to end its lease and maintenance of Bedrock Park and start some sports programs at the Municipal Auditorium.

The final determination to give the park responsibilities back to the city was one of a handful of items the board of directors discussed at its regular meeting.

The five directors also made suggestions on a draft of its official response to the 2013-14 Grand Jury report and commented on a letter from the Department of Water Resources about the tables at Riverbend Park.

Bedrock Park was the first item of business.

General Manager Ann Willmann has been negotiating with City Attorney Randy Murphy and Community Development Director Don Rust on Bedrock and the auditorium.

She told the directors that the city has indicated an interest in taking back maintenance of Bedrock Park. Willmann also said she asked for an agreement to use the Municipal Auditorium at an hourly rate.

Willmann also emphasized the first year at the auditorium will be challenging and that the district will have to provide some subsidy for the sports programs.

The district would save up to $24,000 a year by not maintaining Bedrock Park. The contract to use the auditorium wouldn't exceed that amount, but the district also wouldn't have to spend that amount. Willmann said she made it clear they didn't want to lease the auditorium.

"I want to make sure it's fair on both sides and we are very clear on what we want to do," she said.

The district would pay $78 an hour and would have to pay a deposit.

Director Marcia Carter noted that they'll be able to build their sports programs back up, though Willmann added the district won't make money the first year.

Director Loren Gill said he thinks it's a good opportunity, but that he would vote no because the city should have given Bedrock Park to the district.

The board voted 3-2 to terminate the Bedrock Park lease and authorize use of the Municipal Auditorium for no more than $24,000.

Next the board went over a letter drafted by a special committee to formally respond to the recent Grand Jury report, which largely criticized the district, though it also pointed out some positive changes since the previous report.

Most of the discussion centered on some minor changes in language, but the directors also made some additional comments that may be added.

Director Don Noble disagreed with the Grand Jury's comment that the district's parks are in "poor" shape.

"There are challenges in every park...To me (the condition) is fair," he said. He also said that the Jury's comment that buying the Activity Center was "ill advised" was a value judgement on the Grand Jury's part.

Gill noted that a sentence should emphasize that three board members were elected in November 2012, replacing the previous board majority. He had previously said the district's problems were caused by past directors. The newer directors were only in office a short time before the latest Grand Jury investigation began.

"They find fault with the board, but the board is people," Gill said. "There was a different majority (then) than there is now."

Some of the discussion veered toward finding fault with past managers and directors, but a man in the audience advised the directors they seemed to be getting too defensive.

As a result of a unanimous vote, Willmann will make changes recommended by the board and bring back another draft for the board to approve.

The directors also directed Willmann to draft a response to the DWR about the picnic tables that were removed last spring from Riverbend Park. Ten tables were removed from the river's edge and taken to another FRRPD facility in Berry Creek.

About 60 concrete tables were purchased in the early 2000s with grant funds for the improvement of the park from the Department of Water Resources. More than $5 million was given for the Riverbend project under a settlement agreement linked to the still pending Oroville Dam licencing process.

Willmann said the letter requests the board to honor the spirit of the agreement in the future.

Gill said there are still 54 tables: 22 stamped for the State Water Contractors, 14 stamped with DWR and several others.

He added most of the tables aren't being used because they're not located where people can use them.

Noble said there should never have been a controversy over the tables, nor should the tables in Berry Creek be returned to Riverbend.

However, he added, "in the future I would recommend we leave the tables in Riverbend Park."

The board voted 4-0, with Gill abstaining, for Willmann to write a response to the Department of Water Resources.